The Government puts out to tender 37 plots of land to build 1,940 public apartments

BarcelonaThe Balearic Government will launch a tender on Friday for 37 plots of land to build public housing. These are disused municipal plots ceded by the town councils. The Executive anticipates the construction of 1,940 apartments in 23 municipalities, which will be offered at affordable rent for 75 years. The Minister of Territory, Housing, and Ecological Transition, Silvia Paneque, emphasized that this first tender is a "historic step" because, for the first time in Spain, a stable mechanism is being activated to "mobilize public land and generate affordable housing continuously and on a large scale." According to the Minister, this is a "first wave" of public plots, and she announced that there will be more tenders throughout 2026. In fact, the Government spokesperson also explained that the subsequent calls for tenders are already being prepared. For this first competition, which will be launched on Friday, the Government has organized four groups by territorial zones, and each group will involve the construction of between 400 and 500 homes.

Accredited demand

According to the Catalan government, the plots of land selected for the first tender are located in municipalities across various price ranges, but all have a minimum level of proven rental demand. The tender covers the development and construction of the buildings planned for each plot, as well as managing the occupancy process, comprehensive management of rental or usufruct agreements for 75 years, building maintenance for 75 years, and the reversion of the building to public ownership upon expiration of the surface rights agreement. The tender conditions also stipulate that no bidder may be awarded more than one lot "unless one of them remains unawarded." Bidders may indicate their priorities among the various plot groups and may exclude up to two plots from their chosen group. The tender specifications establish "uniform technical, regulatory, and construction criteria" for all plots, which must be met. These criteria apply, for example, to sustainability and building maintenance. Among the criteria the Government will consider in its selection are the economic and financial plan; the methodology for planning and controlling the execution of the works; the building's conservation and maintenance plan; and the social management and tenant monitoring plan.